While delivering a speech at the 30th annual Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays Awards Dinner on Monday, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg addressed homophobic remarks that have been in the press (aka Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino) and pleaded for tolerance.

He said:

"Let me be clear, these incidents are completely unacceptable. They're intolerable in a city in which tolerance is what defines us. They're unacceptable in a city in which embracing our differences is what makes us strong. Because when any New Yorker is attacked because of who they are or who they love, the fabric that binds us together is torn. That's why these attacks are attacks on us all, and why they can never, ever be allowed. Especially when it comes to our kids.

To those who have been the target of bullying and bias, whether you happen to be in this room or in any neighborhood in the city, I say this: this great city stands with you. We believe in you. We want you here. We will do anything in our power to keep you safe. And we will do everything in our power to punish those who dare threaten the well being of our citizens.

As I said over the weekend, the perpetrators of the abuse and torture in the Bronx will be spared no mercy. At the same time, we will continue — with the help of PFLAG — reinforcing in our public schools what is the most comprehensive anti-bullying policy of its kind in the nation. Because building a city of honesty and respect and civility begins with our children.

This city's greatest strength has always been its diversity and openness. There are moments when that is challenged, when some argue for closing, rather than opening doors -for closing, rather than opening our hearts.

But I am confident that will never happen, in part because of your energy and advocacy. And clearly, as we note on this night of celebration, that good work is needed now, more than ever before.

So let me close by saying that our city — and our nation — have come a long way, but our journey is not yet complete. I wish for you the same thing I wish for any parent in this city: the joy of seeing your son or daughter fall in love, the joy of walking your son or daughter down the aisle on the most important day of their lives. Government should not be in the business of telling anyone whom he or she can and cannot love. And believe me, I will fight with you every single day to make that a reality. Good night, and God bless."

Re: JasonDiggy – I agree, apparently Perez thinks NY is only NYC, It's a whole fucking state. This has to do with NYC and not NY state, so sorry, it has nothing to do with Paladino. Paladino won't win though, contrary to NYC's false statements, upstate is NOT conservative, only half is and it's the very rural areas. And NY's republicans are usually moderates and not conservatives and extreme right. Paladino threw away any shot at being governor with those comments, not that he had much of a shot anyways.

NY isn't dumb enough to fall for the Tea party movement… why are the middle class and the poor backing people who want to keep the Bush's tax cut to the rich that would dig us deeper into a deficit. Oh wait because the tea party wants us to pity families with millions and blame Obama for the increased deficit. God forbid we help the middle class who are falling into poverty even though they work harder than the rich assholes.

Great sentiment and I'm glad he said it!
One side note….
When he said, "the perpetrators of the abuse and torture in the Bronx will be spared no mercy", I think he meant 'will be SHOWN no mercy'….Otherwise he's saying that the perpetrators will be given every mercy!

Re: mscalto – You must be from Buffalo or Rochester then, everyone I know who's ventured into New York State did not have the most pleasant experience with the locals. For every Conservative Republican there were also Klansmen, skinheads, Strait Edge or just plain ignorant hillbillies ( And that's just the Lower Hudson Valley XD ) Can't really confirm such statements I know, but I'm not about to go up there to find out otherwise either.

Re: mscalto – God almighty . . . the ignorance and the appalling arrogance you show toward "the rich" is mind-boggling.
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The top 1% wage-earners in this country shoulder an astonishing 38% of the income tax burden. In other words, they pay not only hugely more in terms of tax dollars, but they pay hugely disproportionately more. It's always convenient to point fingers at some oily fat-cat CEO . . . but what about the huge majority of upper-income workers who have achieved what they've achieved through education, hard work, innovation, sacrifice, living within their means, reproducing when they can afford to do so, saving money on a daily basis (no six-dollar lattes every morning), investing wisely and operating within the boundaries of the law? Your type shows absolutely nothing but contempt for these people—people who are at the core of circulating the economy that everyone in this country, including the willingly non-working, benefits from— and wants to punish them at every turn. Is it jealousy? I can't figure out your motivation.

Re: mscalto –
My rant, continued:
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I'm for income tax cuts across the board—for everyone who works, at any income level. So is the Republican party, in general. It's not tax cuts for JUST the "rich"—but no discussion of tax relief can possibly avoid the idea of giving breaks to the "rich", SINCE THEY'RE THE ONES PAYING MOST OF THE TAXES IN THE FIRST PLACE! Christ, it's like as soon as anyone making six figures gets ONE DIME of his own hard-earned money back in the form of a tax break, everyone goes totally apeshit.

The problem isn't that we don't pay enough taxes. Every working person at every income level pays TOO MUCH in taxes. The problem is that our big, bloated, wasteful, thoroughly inefficient government, which tries to run a thousand different businesses at once—from housing to health care to transportation to education—and fails at all of them miserably, has brainwashed the likes of you into believing that the problem rests with "filthy rich" people who selfishly refuse to open their wallets wide every time Big Brother snaps his fingers. Oh, and the other problem is that they're all racists. It's such horseshit!